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Work Experience 2021?

So I was just wondering if work experience will go ahead this year based of the governments latest advice?

I guess it depends where, I’ve been doing stables work exp from June 2020 a few times a week and still am, and also managed to get a few farm days here and there (might be doing a lambing placement soon) and dog grooming in September, so work experience is still doable in the current climate just possibly more difficult. The main one which has been most affected is vet clinics, but I assume they’ll allow work experience in line with government restrictions - but I’d book them fast as you’ve now got a lot more years trying to cram in the get work exp, and at least around here it is competitive enough without covid.

I’m a current applicant though so I’m not sure what the requirements will be like for next years application cycle but I imagine they’ll still be lowered, but it’s still good to try your best to get some.

Reply 2

TheMixedVet

So animal husbandry is a very important aspect of pre-vet work experience - it shows both the industries vets work within, the consequences of good/bad animal husbandry and is a good chance to learn animal handling and communication skills all wrapped into one. Whilst it may be a struggle to get people to want to take students from a legal point of view you are allowed to travel for animal care. So for example a farm during lambing which requires extra assistance to ensure animal welfare doesn't suffer it would be perfectly fine for them to recruit vet students. The grey area is a business which is functioning fine and doesn't really need extra assistance as this wouldn't be so essential for animal welfare.

Lambing and calving work, and arguably milking shifts would count. Potentially if kennels or stables are short staffed or charities who need cheap/free labour then they would also be acceptable placements. It is perhaps arguable that to get on a 'future key worker' course you need some experience but this would not necessarily be backed by law.

Reply 3

eve9

Hi, I've just started work experience at a local farm because it's lambing season. At this time in the year, farms are desperate for some extra help, so if this is the type of work experience that would interest you, you should find a local farm and see if they do work experience ASAP, as the season only lasts around 6 weeks usually :smile: